Hypericum plant named ‘Versalcla’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hypericum  plant named ‘Versalcla’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; dark green leaves; salmon pink-colored fruits; and good portproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Hypericum androsaemum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Versalcla’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum plant, botanically known as Hypericum androsaemum, commercially used as cut stems with fruits, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Versalcla’.

The new Hypericum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop cut Hypericum varieties with attractive fruit coloration.

The new cultivar originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in January, 2000 of a proprietary selection of Hypericum identified as code number 121048, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Hypericum identified as code number 121047, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Versalcla was discovered and selected by the Inventor during the summer of 2001 as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hypericum by terminal cuttings at Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands since August, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Hypericum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Versalcla’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Versalcla’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Salmon pink-colored fruits.     -   4. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum have longer stems than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum have larger fruits than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum and the female parent selection         differ in fruit coloration as plants of the female parent         selection have cream-colored fruits.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum have longer stems than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum have fewer flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum and the male parent selection         differ in fruit coloration as plants of the male parent         selection have brown-colored fruits.

Plants of the new Hypericum can be compared to plants of the Hypericum cultivar Excellent Flair, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands, plants of the new Hypericum differed from plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum were taller than plants of the         cultivar Excellent Flair.     -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum had shorter and darker         green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Excellent         Flair.     -   3. Leaves of plants of the new Hypericum did not scorch as a         symptom of low leaf magnesium whereas leaves of plants of the         cultivar Excellent Flair scorched.     -   4. Plants of the new Hypericum had smaller flowers than plants         of the cultivar Excellent Flair.     -   5. Fruits of plants of the new Hypericum were salmon pink in         color whereas fruits of plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair         were brownish red in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Hypericum, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hypericum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘Versalcla’.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical fruits of ‘Versalcla’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Versalcla’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Hypericum has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands, in an outdoor nursery and under commercial production practices. Plants used for the photographs and the description were about two years old. The photographs and description were taken during the summer with day temperatures ranging from 14 to 30° C. and night temperatures ranging from 7 to 14° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hypericum androsaemum cultivar Versalcla. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum             androsaemum identified as code number 121048, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum androsaemum             identified as code number 121047, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—About 30 days at             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, winter.—About 40 days at             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; grayed orange, 166C             overlain with 200B, in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Upright and outwardly spreading perennial woody             shrub.         -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely basal branching;             dense and bushy growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 80 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 40 cm.         -   Quantity of stems per year.—About 18.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Internode length: About 6 cm. Strength: Moderate.             Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 174A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite; simple; sessile.             Length: About 5.3 cm. Width: About 4.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic             to ovate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Obtuse to slightly cordate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Glabrous; rugose.             Texture, lower surface: Glabrous; slightly rugose. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             144A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than 139A; venation,             145B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: 138B; venation,             145D. Stipule length: About 1 cm. Stipule diameter: About             7 mm. Stipule texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: 144A. Color, lower surface:             138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Bright yellow single flowers arranged             in terminal compound umbels with about eight flowers per             umbel. Flowers not fragrant. Flowers persistent, Flowers             face mostly upright to slightly outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Summer, typically June to             September in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Cut flower are typically harvested             when all flowers have developed fruits. Postproduction             longevity of cut stems with fruits is about two weeks.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 7 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 13A.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.4 cm. Depth: About 1.1 cm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 1.6 cm.             Width: About 9 mm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Concave. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: Developing and             fully expanded petals, upper surface: 14B; color does not             fade with development. Developing and fully expanded petals,             lower surface: 14C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 9 mm.             Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Broadly elliptic. Apex: Obtuse.             Base: Broadly attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color: Developing sepals,             upper surface: 144A. Developing sepals, lower surface: 193B.             Fully expanded sepals, upper surface: 139A. Fully expanded             sepals, lower surface: 192A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Orientation: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144B             overlain with 183A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm.             Orientation: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             winged. Color: 144A overlain with 183A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 95.             Filament color: 14B. Anther shape: Broadly ovate. Anther             length: About 0.7 mm. Anther color: 14A to 14B. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 14A. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: Three. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma shape:             Globular. Stigma color: 163C. Style length: About 4 mm.             Style color: 154C. Ovary color: 154C.         -   Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Days to ripening:             About 25. Type: Capsule. Shape: Ellipsoidal. Length: About             1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Texture: Smooth; glabrous.             Color: 49A; towards the base, close to 49B to 49C.         -   Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: More than 100. Length: About             1 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth; glabrous.             Color: 200B. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been     observed to be resistant to Rust. Plants of the new Hypericum have     not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens     common to Hypericum. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from −15 to 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum plant named ‘Versalcla’, as illustrated and described. 